Dr Kathy Cornack is an integrative practitioner with a special interest in behaviour. Kathy believes that our focus should be on educating pet owners and the wider community about the importance of mental health in pets in order to reduce the rate of relinquishment and euthanasia due to unwanted behaviours. Kathy and I talk about her beliefs around why anxiety is increasingly seen in dogs today, including the impact of genetics, lack of exercise, lack of boundaries, fear in pet owners, the environment and lack of education. 

Topics discussed include: 

• Epigenetics and a potential correlation between the rise of mental illness in dogs and children 
• Reframing "behavioural issues" as mental illnesses in pets 
• Kathy's approach to incorporating herbs, amino acids and flower essences in her anxiety cases 
• The importance of focusing on environmental and behavioural modification in management plans 
• The stigma around utilising pharmacologic interventions
• Managing client expectations of treatment plans 

You can find Kathy in Newcastle, NSW and at holisticvets.com.au.